


Never Too Late

by ladybug218



Category: Charmed
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-18
Updated: 2013-10-18
Packaged: 2017-12-29 17:40:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1008211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladybug218/pseuds/ladybug218
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"It is never too late to be what we might have been." --George Eliot</p>
            </blockquote>





	Never Too Late

**Author's Note:**

> Written in 2010 for the hetfic exchange on LiveJournal

2004

He knows he's dying.

He knows the words Leo - Dad - is uttering are just words. He knows that he is not going to survive Gideon's attack. He knows that his death will not be in vain and that his parents and aunts will keep Wyatt from turning evil, thereby securing the future.

There are a lot of things he doesn't know. He doesn't know what's going to happen when he dies. Will he become a full whitelighter? Or will the Elders punish him for changing the world? Will he go back to his own time, or will he be stuck forever in the past? Will his death save the countless innocents who died at Wyatt's hand? His mother? Bianca?

Everything he knows and all of his questions drift away as his injuries overtake him and he fades into unconsciousness.

 

2029

Chris doesn't know where he is or how he got there.

He manages to open his eyes and realizes he's in the attic of the Manor. He carefully moves his arms and legs, turns his head, touches his stomach. He doesn't feel any pain or sense any injuries.

At first glance, he cannot tell what year it is. It looks like the Book is on its stand, but from the angle, it could just as easily be a hologram as the real thing. When he finally pulls himself to his feet, he notices a playpen in the corner that he doesn't recall ever seeing before. Before he can investigate further, he hears a voice calling his name and freezes.

His jaw drops when the owner of said voice steps through the door, looking both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. "Dude, what are you doing?" Wyatt asks. "You look like you've seen a ghost." There's a pause, and he pats himself. "I'm not a ghost, am I?"

He's not, as far as Chris can tell, but he may as well be. The last time Chris saw Wyatt looking this way was at least ten years ago. "N-n-o," he finally stutters. "I just..." He's unable to find the words to explain what he's done.

Wyatt frowns. "Are you hurt? Did you go out fighting demons alone again? Mom and Dad are gonna flip."

Mom and Dad. Chris blinks and then breaks out in a grin, knowing that he somehow managed to save his brother and his mother which means there is hope that Bianca is out there, alive somewhere. "No, I just... fell asleep and had a weird dream," he says, knowing the excuse is lame.

"Whatever. Mom told me to come and get you. Dinner's gonna be ready in five."

As much as Chris wants to see his family, he knows he will not rest until he knows Bianca's fate. "Tell Mom I'm sorry but I have to go somewhere." Before Wyatt can protest, he orbs out of the attic, heading for "their" spot.

His heart is racing when he steps into the garden and spots the familiar head of dark hair sitting on the bench. He has no idea if she will remember what he did, what they nearly sacrificed. In fact, he realizes that by changing the past, it's entirely possible she doesn't even know him. Her head lifts and their eyes meet the moment he's within her range of vision. "Bianca," he says, the word barely above a whisper, getting caught in his throat.

"It's about time you got here," she says, standing and wrapping her arms tight around his waist.

His relief that she at least knows him and that they obviously still have a relationship is palpable when pulls her close and buries his nose in her hair. "I'm sorry," he says. "So sorry."

"Don't you dare apologize," she insists, tilting her head back and looking up at him. "You saved us. And everyone else."

"You remember?"

Bianca nods, her eyes clouding over. "I remember everything. I was so afraid that you weren't coming back."

He doesn't see a reason to tell her that he almost didn't return. "I wasn't sure if you'd be here."

They fall silent and, by unspoken agreement, they sit side by side on their bench, Chris's arm around Bianca's shoulders, her head resting against his shoulder. Memories from two different lifetimes of important moments intermingle in Chris's mind and he suddenly remembers something. Bianca frowns when he pulls away and stands up. "What's wrong, Chris?"

Hand in his pocket, he finds what he's looking for and smiles. "Not a thing," he says, pulling his hand out to reveal her engagement ring. Her face registers surprise when she looks down at her left hand and realizes it isn't there. Chris goes down on his knee and takes her hand. "Will you still marry me?"

"Of course, I will," she says, a few stray tears sliding down her cheeks as he slips the ring back on her hand. "We have the whole future ahead of us now thanks to you."

Chris pulls her to her feet and into his arms again. "It was worth it," he says. "It was all worth it."


End file.
